Conventional trabeculectomy versus trabeculectomy with the Ex-PRESS® mini-glaucoma shunt: differences in postoperative interventions.

PURPOSE: To compare the postoperative interventions and outcomes between conventional trabeculectomy and trabeculectomy with the Ex-PRESS® mini-glaucoma shunt device (Ex-Press).

METHODS

This was a retrospective, comparative, single-facility study. We analyzed the cases of 108 glaucoma patients who underwent trabeculectomy and were followed for >1 year. Thirty-nine eyes underwent a conventional trabeculectomy (conventional group) and 69 eyes underwent a trabeculectomy with an Ex-Press (Ex-Press group). As evaluation items, we examined postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), the surgical success rate, postoperative complications, the number of days to laser suture lysis, and needling.

RESULTS

Trabeculectomy significantly decreased the patients' IOP values from 27.8±7.9 to 11.1±3.9 mmHg in the conventional group (p<0.001) and from 27.7±9.2 to 11.5±3.7 mmHg in the Ex-Press group (p<0.001) after 1 year. The success rate was not significantly different between the groups. The timing of the first laser suture lysis was significantly sooner in the Ex-Press group, and the Ex-Press group showed significantly less choroidal detachment due to low IOP.

CONCLUSION

Earlier laser suture lysis in patients whose trabeculectomy treatment includes an Ex-Press is required to obtain the outcomes comparable to those of conventional trabeculectomy.